Bert Halbertstadt

Editor’s note: The Steamboat Pilot & Today asked readers to tell us about their favorite seniors over the age of 75 and then we asked these Super Seniors to share their secrets to living a long and healthy life. 

Bert Halbertstadt

Age: 79

Super powers: Bert Halbertstadt is 79 years old and still running circles around younger opponents on the tennis courts. He became a rated tennis player amid stints at college, including Queens, the University of Michigan and Columbia Law School. A funnier man you could not wish for. One of his famous greetings in Hebrew is “manishma,” which means, “Hey friend, how goes it?” Everyone who knows Bert well greets him with “manishma.” Always actively involved in sports, tennis eventually won out as his sport of choice. He’s a player, volunteer and board member of the Steamboat Tennis Association.

What are your secrets for living a long and healthy life?

“Maintain your relations with family and friend and think ‘active,’ which means staying busy with a variety of activities. Multitask to keep your brain sharp. See the good in all your experiences, even if you become a cynic from those experiences. Do a mitzvah — a good deed — every chance you get. Keep loving and be loveable. Follow your religious values and stay positive, active and loving. Live in the moment. Getting older can be inspiring and even fun; getting ‘old’ is just not acceptable.”